Medical examiner testifies another scenario of Randolph girl's killing possible, but not probable

Robert Sciarrino/The Star-LedgerRetired Bergen County medical examiner Sunandan Singh demonstrates, on assistant prosecutor David Bruno, how he believes a knife was used in the murder of Jennifer Parks. Sunandan testified that Jennifer Parks simultaneously received numerous 'blunt and sharp-force' injuries on both the front and back of her body on July 30, 2005.

RANDOLPH -- A medical examiner, who testified in a Morris County murder trial earlier this week that a Randolph girl's killing in 2005 had to have been committed by at least two people attacking her at the same time from the front and back, testified today that a different scenario could have been possible.

Retired Bergen County Medical Examiner Sunandan Singh testified Wednesday, outside the presence of the jury, and again today before the jury, that the slaying of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks on July 30, 2005 had to have been committed by more than one person, due to the nature of the numerous wounds she suffered on both the front and back of her body.

"There had to be two individuals simultaneously attacking her," from the front and back, Singh said today under questioning by Morris County Assistant Prosecutor David Bruno.

That's because Parks was stabbed and punched on the front of her body, and poked and whacked with a metal pole on her back, Singh said. A severe blow to her abdomen forced stomach contents into her throat and knocked her out and onto her back, Singh said. Since she choked to death on blood draining into her throat and on regurgitated stomach contents, the marks on her back from the metal pole could not have occurred after she was on her back, and had to occur at the same time she was being stabbed and punched, Singh said.

However, Joseph Ferrante, the defense attorney for defendant James Zarate, who contends there was only one killer -- Zarate's older brother, Jonathan , who has been convicted of murdering Parks -- tried to raise doubts about Singh's testimony.

Referring to an imprint and bruise from the metal pole on the back of Parks' right hand, Ferrante asked Singh if it was possible that the first blow came from the pole and struck the back of Parks' hand as she covered her head, and then turned away and was hit on her back with the pole.

"That's a scenario that works with these facts, doesn't it," Ferrante asked, and Singh said no.

Ferrante continued, "If the attack from the pole came first, and the first blow was on the hand, a natural reaction would be to turn your back, wouldn't it," and Singh replied, "So far, so good."

Robert Sciarrino/The Star-LedgerDefense attorney Joseph Ferrante shows how he believes one person could have killed Jennifer Parks as he questioned Retired Bergen County medical examiner Sunandan Singh.

Placing his hand in front of his forehead, as if to shield it from being struck, Ferrante asked, "Is it fair to say this could be a defensive wound," and Singh replied, "Yes, if you are putting it that way."

Ferrante contends Jonathan Zarate, now 22, was the sole killer, and James, now 18, only helped in trying to get rid of the body.

Bruno and fellow prosecutor Robert Lane contend that both Zarate brothers killed and dismembered Parks as revenge for her having gotten James into trouble in 2003 over his bullying of her, and hacked her legs off at the knees to cram her body into a footlocker trunk.

Singh also testified that it was only in October 2008, during a meeting with prosecutors in preparation for Jonathan Zarate's murder trial, that Singh came to the conclusion that there must have been two killers. At that same time, in October 2008, Singh also came to the conclusion that Parks was still alive during the failed attempt to amputate her thigh, because that gaping wound bled into its surrounding soft tissue.

But Ferrante asked Singh if he ever included in his autopsy report the information about Parks being alive during the thigh cutting, and Singh said no, that he only formulated that conclusion by reviewing autopsy photos in October.

"So you relied on a photograph and not on your autopsy examination," Ferrante asked, and Singh replied, "On my examination, I must have missed that."

Ferrante asked, "How did you miss that, when it was right there in front of you" during the autopsy, and Singh said, "I don't know. I have no idea how I missed that."

The Zarates and another teen, Vladimir Basilio, now 19, of Clifton, were arrested in Rutherford on July 31, 2005, trying to heave the trunk containing Parks' remains off of a bridge. Basilio also is expected to testify for the prosecution that the Zarate brothers told him they planned and committed the killing and dismemberment together.

The trial began Tuesday and will continue Monday before Superior Court Judge Salem Ahto, sitting in Morristown.